People making and chaning rules and laws
Nation State
Civic Values
Government
Guiding Questions
-Why are rules and laws important to govern world communities?
-Why would world citizens have conflicts over rules, rights and responsibilities in their community? How are conflicts resolved in different world communities?
-How do decision making processes and slection processes of leaders differ across world communities?
Theme/Content Skills
-People in world communities form governments to develop rules and laws to govern community members.
-People in world communities may have conflicts over rules, rights, and responsibilities.
-The process of selecting leaders, solving problems, and making decisions differ in world communities.
Key Terms
conflict, election, dictatorship, monarchy, democracy, US Constitution, justice
Holidays
Father's Day
Student Outcomes
-Students will discover differences in world communities's rules and laws, and how these rules and laws are established.
-
Assessment/Project
-Tell the class the story of the growth of our country, and make a classroom timeline showing the
most important events: the Pilgrims’ arrival in America, the American Revolution, the
Constitutional Convention, the Civil War. Mention how rules have always played a role in history.
-Play a version of “telephone” called “pass the rule.” Have students sit in a circle. Whisper a
rule into a student’s ear and have him/her turn and whisper it into the next person’s ear.
Continue until the rule goes around the circle. Have the last person say the rule. It will
probably be very different from the rule you originally whispered. Use the game as an
opportunity to talk about the importance of writing down rules/laws.
-Read aloud Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, a story which illustrates that there are consequences
for breaking a rule. Have students brainstorm a list of places in the school where there
are certain rules to follow: gymnasium, playground, library, cafeteria, classroom. Break students
into groups and give each group one area. Have students identify rules for that area and
draw conclusions about why the rules were made and what the consequences are if the rules are
broken. Have students create a chart of classroom rules and corresponding consequences.
Rule
Consequence
-Have students dictate a simple constitution for the class. Include provisions for electing
classroom leaders and for making classroom rules. Have the class discuss the process and elect
the leaders. Be sure to rotate the roles held by students on a regular basis. This will allow
students to experience the roles of leader and participating citizen.
-Using magazines and newspapers, have students cut out pictures that show people following
rules/laws as well as pictures that show people breaking rules/laws. Include, for example,
pictures of people using the crosswalk to cross the street, driving the wrong way down a
one-way street, or cutting in front of someone in line. Show students the various pictures and
ask them to tell if the person in the picture is obeying or breaking the rule/law. Ask students to
explain why they think the rule/law was created in the first place.
Resources for Students
Arnie and the Stolen Markers by Nancy Carlson I Read Symbols by Tana Hoban It’s Mine by Leo Lionni Living Together Under the Law: An Elementary Education Law Guide by Arlene F. Gallagher Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Resources for Teachers
Field Trip Suggestions
Take students on a walking field trip in the neighborhood and have them sketch the street signs. Explain that some of the pictures
they see on street signs are symbols representing rules/laws for the community. Look at different signs and ask students:
Does the sign use pictures or words or both? Talk to students about why it is important to do what the sign says and what the
consequences are for not doing it.
Grade:3rd
Month:June
Main Concept
People making and chaning rules and lawsNation State
Civic Values
Government
Guiding Questions
-Why are rules and laws important to govern world communities?-Why would world citizens have conflicts over rules, rights and responsibilities in their community? How are conflicts resolved in different world communities?
-How do decision making processes and slection processes of leaders differ across world communities?
Theme/Content Skills
-People in world communities form governments to develop rules and laws to govern community members.-People in world communities may have conflicts over rules, rights, and responsibilities.
-The process of selecting leaders, solving problems, and making decisions differ in world communities.
Key Terms
conflict, election, dictatorship, monarchy, democracy, US Constitution, justiceHolidays
Father's DayStudent Outcomes
-Students will discover differences in world communities's rules and laws, and how these rules and laws are established.-
Assessment/Project
-Tell the class the story of the growth of our country, and make a classroom timeline showing themost important events: the Pilgrims’ arrival in America, the American Revolution, the
Constitutional Convention, the Civil War. Mention how rules have always played a role in history.
-Play a version of “telephone” called “pass the rule.” Have students sit in a circle. Whisper a
rule into a student’s ear and have him/her turn and whisper it into the next person’s ear.
Continue until the rule goes around the circle. Have the last person say the rule. It will
probably be very different from the rule you originally whispered. Use the game as an
opportunity to talk about the importance of writing down rules/laws.
-Read aloud Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, a story which illustrates that there are consequences
for breaking a rule. Have students brainstorm a list of places in the school where there
are certain rules to follow: gymnasium, playground, library, cafeteria, classroom. Break students
into groups and give each group one area. Have students identify rules for that area and
draw conclusions about why the rules were made and what the consequences are if the rules are
broken. Have students create a chart of classroom rules and corresponding consequences.
classroom leaders and for making classroom rules. Have the class discuss the process and elect
the leaders. Be sure to rotate the roles held by students on a regular basis. This will allow
students to experience the roles of leader and participating citizen.
-Using magazines and newspapers, have students cut out pictures that show people following
rules/laws as well as pictures that show people breaking rules/laws. Include, for example,
pictures of people using the crosswalk to cross the street, driving the wrong way down a
one-way street, or cutting in front of someone in line. Show students the various pictures and
ask them to tell if the person in the picture is obeying or breaking the rule/law. Ask students to
explain why they think the rule/law was created in the first place.
Resources for Students
Arnie and the Stolen Markers by Nancy Carlson
I Read Symbols by Tana Hoban
It’s Mine by Leo Lionni
Living Together Under the Law: An Elementary Education Law Guide by Arlene F. Gallagher
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman
Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
Resources for Teachers
Field Trip Suggestions
Take students on a walking field trip in the neighborhood and have them sketch the street signs. Explain that some of the picturesthey see on street signs are symbols representing rules/laws for the community. Look at different signs and ask students:
Does the sign use pictures or words or both? Talk to students about why it is important to do what the sign says and what the
consequences are for not doing it.